Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-27
THE VIRGINIA BYRDS.
TIE SECOND OF THE FAME FOUNDER
OF RICHMOND CITY.
A sketch Of Family Prominently
Identified with the History Of
This State.
lBy request for tho DIspa.cb.l


prominently identified with the history
Of Virginia, and in the cast of every
excellence manifest in her people for
quite two centuries have their descend
ants end their connections borne
worthy part. The family Of Byrd is
among the oldest of record in England.
In n yellun roll from the Herald's of
fee. London, prepared in 1893, and
still in the possession Of the family, it
il traced to one Hugo lie Bird, an arini-
cor. and companion Of William the
Coroueror, and whose wife was Wer-
hurca. daughter and heiress Of Roger
rCmyille, also an armiger, or the alati-
nate Of Chester A William Byrd,
magistrate, WIS one of the witnesses to
the will OF the immortal Bard Of Avon,
William Shakespeare.
The first Of the name and family in
Virginia was William, son of John and
Grace (Stegge) Byrd, goldsmith of Lon
don, bonn in 1852, who came to the
colony about 1913, as the heir of his
uncle Captain Thomas Stegge, Gen
tlmon." a merchant. member of the
Council and of the County Conrt of
Charles City a man of prominence
and influence, and the original
patentee, in 1862, of 1880 acres
OF land on the north side OF James
1iver. which included the present site
Ct Richmond Captain Stegge died in
Anil, 1870. His father, of the same
name, had also been a merchant. resi-
dent in the colony. William Byrd was
on active, intelligent, and successful
man of business, and exerted con-
siderable influence in the affairs of the
colony. He WAS one of the patrons of
William and Mary College. Visiting
England in 1867 he purchased at the
sale of the effects of the Earl of South
a1npion. for sixty guineas, the records
of The Virginia Company OF London,
now III the Library of Congress and
on his return to Virginia brought with
him "A new seal for the colony. He was
long member Of the Council and
county-lieutenant thence his title of
Colonel successfully, it is believed, of
Honrico and of Charles City counties.
Gu the 9th of December, 1887, he was
aIJ ointed receiver general of the Royal
revenues, the duties of which Office he
continued to exercise until his death,
purchased from Theodrick Bland,
who acquired it of Sir John Paulett,
the original pateDtee,) December
4. 1908. Colonel Byrd at one
time probably resided near the
present site of Richmond later his
residence was on the south side of
James river, near or at Falling Creek,
where he lived mt the time of the
great fresh Of 1858, when, he wrote,
tie second floor of his dwelling was in
undated. He conducted grist mill at
Failing Greek from which the Manakin-
town settlers were supplied with meal.
l. is wife WAS Mary, daughter of Colonel
Warham Horsmanden, of Purley, Es
sex, England. member of the Coun-
cil of Virginia. A youthful portrait Of
Colonel Byrd. said to be by the cele-
bratcd Vandyke, is in the possession Of
his descendant, Colonel Randolph Hair
rison, Of this city.
Colonel Byrd was succeeded in the
ofl;ce of encouragement by his son
William. the more distinguished of tho
family, who was born March 10. 1914
died August 2G, 1744, and is buried be-
rcath a handsome marble monumentin
the garden at "Westover," which
has been recently restored by George
II. Byrd, Esq, the banker, New
York city. The last was edu-
Gated in England called to the
bar in the Middle Temple studied
for some time in the Low Countries
visited the Court Of France, and was
chosen Fellow of the Royal Society
was thrice appointed public
agent to the court and ministry OF Eng
land, and being thirty-seven years
member, at last became president OF
the Council His genius is embalmed
in orr national literature as the author
OF the IVcstOrcr Manuscripts, which
contain, with other papers. the "HiS-
tory Of the Dividing Line Between Vir-
einia and North Carolina as run in
1889, "(frstpublished, incompletely,
in lS4l, and privately printed from all
the papers extant, choicely, in two
volumes by the late Hon. Thomas
Hicks Wynne, in 1860 Colonel
EyId was one of the commissioners on
tie part of Virginia. lie was the
founder of Richmond, Va, which was
laid off by Major William Mayo in
Anil, 1871. His father had been a
generous patron of the Huguenot set
tiers at Manakin-town in Virginia
in 1700, and the son was also
much interested in the settlement
Of Virginia by the immigration of
European Protestants. Drafts OF let
tors Of his written during the period
l735-4o, preserved at the bOspitable
seat Lower Brandon" James river
COPIES of which are in the possession
Ct the writer, establish his frequent
carnest efforts TO secure the emigration
OF Swiss and German settlers, to whom
he offered land, both in Virginia and
North Carolina, on favorable terms.
BE was deeply interested in the de
vclopment of the mineral resources of
Virginia. and planted an extensive
vineyard in 1875. He married twice:
first, Lucy. daughter of Colonel Daniel
PaIke. Governor of Leeward Islands,
secondly, May Q, 1924, Mrs. Maria
Taylor. eldest daughter and co .heiress
of Thomas Taylor, OF Kensington, Eng
land who was born November 10,
1898; died August %, III.
William, the eldest son by the second
marriage, was born September 6, 1928;
died January /, l777; was member
of the Virginia Council, and in 1856
served as colonel in the Second Vir-
ginia regiment in the French and In
dian war. He was twice married
FIST, April 10, l74S, to Elizabeth
ChoIn October IL, 1871; died July
Il, 1900, daughter of John Car
ter, of Shirley" James river
secondly, January 20, 1861, to Mary,
daughter of Charles and Anne (daugh
ter Of Joseph ShippeD-Beniamin
franklin was one of her sponsors-)
Wiling, of Philadelphia. Pennsyl-
vGnia Charles Willing was the son
of Thomas and Anne Willing, of
Bristol, England. Mrs. Byrd was
lady of varied accomplishments,
and survived her husband many years,
dying at "Westover," March, 1914, in
her seveniy-fourth year. A copy of
the catalogue of the " Westover libra
~ is in the possession of the writer.